San Francisco 49ers: 5 Players to watch vs. Lions in Week 2

The San Francisco 49ers have injuries to contend with in their Week 2 clash with the Detroit Lions, here we look at five players to watch.

The San Francisco 49ers will look to bounce back from their Week 1 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings when they face the Detroit Lions in Week 2, but most contend with a number of injuries.

There will be starters absent on both sides of the ball for the Niners, presenting opportunities for various young players as San Francisco tries to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole that often means doom for a team’s playoff aspirations.

Here we look at five 49ers to keep a keen eye on in their home opener.

Dante Pettis

Pettis enjoyed an excellent 49ers debut, making a stunning touchdown catch in the back of the end zone and doing a superb job of consistently gaining separation against Vikings defenders as he finished with two catches for 61 yards. He was thrust into a prominent role because of a thigh injury to Marquise Goodwin and, with Goodwin unable to go on Sunday, will get his first career start against Detroit.

Garoppolo will have plenty of other reliable targets he can look to. But in replacing Goodwin, Pettis will be the guy asked to try get over the top of the defense and showcase the big-play ability that convinced the Niners to trade up for him in the second round.

George Kittle

Kittle will be one such target likely relied upon by Garoppolo after he recorded five catches for 90 yards, serving as the focal point of the offense in Goodwin’s absence. The 2017 fifth-round pick failed to make his most important play of the game, though, letting a deep shot from Garoppolo slip through his fingers with only open field ahead of him.

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Despite that drop, Kittle should remain an integral part of the offense. His athletic ability gives him the ability to stretch the field from the tight end position and, against a vulnerable Lions defense and a linebacker in Jarrad David who struggles in coverage, he could be in for a huge day.

Najee Toran

The right guard position battle was talked up as the most important on the 49ers roster but injuries to the two who contested that competition, Mike Person and Joshua Garnett, have forced undrafted rookie Najee Toran into prominence. Person is questionable with a foot injury and Garnett is out with a separated toe, and Shanahan confirmed on KNBR that Toran, per The San Francisco Chronicle, will start if Person is not available.

Should Toran start he will be the clear weak link on an offensive line otherwise well stocked with pedigree and experience and, likely going up against Ezekiel Ansah, the former UCLA Bruin will have to perform right off the bat to ensure Jimmy Garoppolo is better protected than he was in Minnesota.

Solomon Thomas

San Francisco was able to get consistent pressure on Kirk Cousins in the opener, but Solomon Thomas was largely not involved in doing so. The 2017 third-overall pick was predominantly a spectator on pass-rush downs as DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead troubled Minnesota’s offensive line throughout, but defensive coordinator Robert Saleh insisted, per Niners Nation, that Thomas will get run on third down.

Detroit’s OlLine is just as shaky as Minnesota’s and will be without right guard T.J. Lang due to injury. Buckner and Armstead take up double teams on almost every snap and Thomas has the quickness and power to take advantage of the one-on-one matchups they can create for him. Providing he receives the run Saleh promised on pass rush downs, this is an ideal game for Thomas to start justifying his lofty draft status.

Elijah Lee

With Malcolm Smith again questionable with a hamstring injury and Brock Coyle on injured reserve, Lee could be in line to start at weakside linebacker next to rookie Fred Warner at Mike. Lee is the more experienced of the pair but, after Warner’s magnificent debut showing, it is the second-year player who is the one more likely to be targeted by the Lions in the passing game.

After losing another player at the position with Coyle’s injury, the 49ers need to feel good about their depth at linebacker ahead of Reuben Foster’s return next week.

Lee had a strong preseason and if Smith is not able to play, then the former Kansas State defender performing in a similar manner will be key to not only the 49ers hopes of victory but also their confidence in the options they have at a position when San Francisco has had bad injury luck.